Iranian nuclear scientist killed

10:20, July 24, 2011

An Iranian nuclear scientist was " assassinated by terrorists" in eastern Tehran on Saturday, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Dariush Rezaei, PhD of nuclear Physics and a university professor, was killed by motorcyclists in front of his home on Saturday evening, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

According to local media, the assassinated scientist was an expert linked to Iran's Atomic Energy Organization.

Rezaei's wife, who was with him when the attack occurred, survived the deadly incident but sustained injuries and was immediately transferred to hospital, the local satellite Press TV reported.

The victim was a nuclear physics professor at Mohaqeq Ardebili University in Iran's northwestern Ardebil city, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Tehran's police have confirmed the assassination and said that investigations into the case have begun.

Also, Tehran's Political Deputy Governor Safar-Ali Baratlou, confirming the news, told ISNA that no suspect has been arrested so far.

In January 2010, the Iranian nuclear scientist and the Physics professor at the prestigious University of Tehran, Massoud Ali- Mohammadi, was killed by a remote-controlled bomb attached to a motorbike parked near his house.

In November 2010, another Iranian nuclear scientist Majid Shahriar was also killed by a bomb attached to his car on the way to his work.

In January, Iran said it dismantled an Israeli spying network and arrested a group of people who were linked to the assassination of its nuclear scientist Massoud Ali-Mohammadi.

"We have collected some proofs. They are being completed and will be used to legally sue the issue," the spokesman said.

Also, in the month, Iranian Vice President Nasrin Soltankhah announced that Iran formed security teams to protect its nuclear scientists.

Protecting the Iranian scientists was seriously considered by the country's security systems, Soltankhah said, adding that the Iranian scientists were also trained to confront the possible dangers which may threat their lives.

The Iranian authorities have been accusing the United States and Israeli intelligence services of being behind the assassinations.

Western powers suspect Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons despite Tehran's claims that it will be used only for generation of civilian energy.